Mindfully Healing

Psychologists have been using variations on this technique, but this is the first study to show it works. To get rid of negative thoughts, write them down on a piece of paper and literally throw them away. While it might sound too easy, psychological research shows it can be effective. People in the study who did this found they also mentally discarded the thought as well. Professor Richard Petty, study co-author, said: “However you tag your thoughts — as trash or as

The personality trait is linked to healthier and more stable relationships. Having a conscientious partner is best for one’s health, research finds. A conscientious partner also tends to have more stable relationships. That is quite apart from the benefit of living with someone who can hold down a job and who puts the bins out. Professor Brent Roberts, the study’s first author, said: “Highly conscientious people are more organized and responsible and tend to follow through with their obligations, to be more impulse controlled and to follow rules.” Conscientious people

Why negative thoughts make some people depressed, while others quickly dismiss them. “Sticky thoughts” are the hallmark of depression, research finds. Bad things happen to most of us at some point, but some people take it worse than others. This is partly down to the inability to mentally turn away from them. Thoughts about negative experiences can get ‘stuck’ in the brain. Professor Jutta Joormann, the study’s first author, explained what happens in the minds of depressed people: “They basically get stuck in a mindset where they relive what happened

The behavior is linked to more white matter, the brain’s ‘superhighway’. People who take calculated risks are likely to be smarter than average, research finds. People making quick decisions and taking chances have more white matter in their brains. White matter is sometimes called the ‘superhighway’ of the brain: it transmits signals and regulates communication. The researchers were surprised by the result as they expected the exact opposite: that smarter people would spend more time evaluating the situation before making a decision. Dr Dagfinn Moe, study co-author, explained: “We expected

How to spot someone who is passive-aggressive and how to handle them. Some people find it very hard to express their concerns directly. Here are some of the ways that passive-aggressive people attempt to communicate their irritation: Procrastination. Deliberately being inefficient. Trying to blame others. Doing something just too late to be useful. Doing something badly so it is not useful. Saying ‘I forgot’, when they didn’t. Acting sullen. Of course all of these could just as easily not have a passive-aggressive intent — that is the advantage of this

People felt their pets could tell when they were in trouble. Pets can help people manage mental health conditions, particularly in times of crisis, new research finds. People’s emotional relationship with their animals can be intense and they can provide welcome support. The review of 17 different studies found that people living with mental illness reported a variety of different benefits to having pets: People reported finding pets calming and supportive. People felt their pets could tell when they were in trouble. Pets provided a distraction from upsetting symptoms of

Depression and anxiety risk much higher in some people using social media. Using over seven different social media platforms is linked to a tripling in depression risk, psychological research finds. The study asked about the 11 most popular social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine and LinkedIn. Those who used between 7 and 11 of these, had 3.1 times the depression risk. They also had 3.3 times the risk of having high levels of anxiety symptoms. Professor Brian A. Primack, who led the

Surveys of over half a million teens in the US hint at worrying trend. More time in front of screens may be to blame for the increase in depression and suicidal behaviours among young people, study finds. Girls may be particularly prone to the possible negative effects of too much time spent on smartphones tablets and computers. The conclusions come from surveys of over half a million teens in the US. These have found that suicide rates for girls aged 13-18 have increased 65% between 2010 and 2015. The number